Nor, indeed, would Brian
let her go, for even in those moments when he appeared most unconscious
of the life about him, he seemed to feel her presence. All through
the long, long hours of that anxious night and day she had watched and
waited the final issue;--feeling the dark messenger very close at times,
but gaining hope as the hours passed and her lover won his way nearer
and nearer to the light;--courageous always;--giving him the best of her
strength, so far as it was possible to give him anything;--making him
feel the steady, enduring fullness of her love.
At last, they felt that the victory was won. The doctor, satisfied that
the crisis was safely past, went his way to visit other patients. By
evening, Brian was resting so easily that the girl had stolen away for a
few minutes, leaving the neighbor to call her if he should waken.
Betty Jo had been on the porch but a short time when a step sounded on
the gravel walk that led from the porch steps around the corner of the
house. A moment more, and Judy appeared.
The mountain girl stopped when she saw Betty Jo, and the latter went to
the top of the steps.
"Good-evening, Judy!" said Betty Jo, quietly. "Won't you come in?"
Slowly, with her black beady eyes fixed on Betty Jo's face, Judy went up
the steps.
As the mountain girl reached the level of the porch-floor, Betty Jo drew
a little back toward the door.
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